In a recent video, Ranjit Bajaj, the owner of Minerva Academy, strongly criticized the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its deputy secretary general, M. Satyanarayan, regarding the selection process for the Indian U-15 football team’s coaching staff.
Bajaj’s comments came after it was announced that he would work alongside Bibiano Fernandes, who was set to be the head coach. This pairing raised some eyebrows, especially concerning how the two would collaborate. Bajaj was initially appointed as the team manager, but reports suggested that Bibiano was hesitant about potential interference in the coaching process. Bajaj had even stated that he would gladly take on the coaching role if Bibiano declined.
When it became known that Bibiano had initially turned down the position, Bajaj expressed willingness to step in. However, in an unexpected turn of events, it was later reported that Bibiano did accept the coaching role, leaving Bajaj uncertain about his own position.
In his video, Bajaj called out the AIFF and Satyanarayan for the lack of clear communication throughout the selection process. He claimed he was informed that he could bring his own team and that Bibiano was not taking the role. “I was told that you wanted to appoint me with my team,” Bajaj stated, emphasizing that this was communicated by Satyanarayan at the AIFF office.
Bajaj also highlighted concerns about the interview process. “I was asked about my coaching style and philosophy, which seemed unusual for an administrative position,” he noted, pointing out that the Technical Committee typically doesn’t interview for manager roles.
He described how the AIFF suggested he take over if Bibiano declined, stating, “I wanted to do this for my country, even if we didn’t see eye to eye.”
Bajaj further criticized the AIFF’s decision to pre-select players for the U-15 World Cup. He had proposed an 85-day plan to scout talent across 790 districts, believing that some of the best players might come from lesser-known backgrounds rather than just well-established academies. He questioned why selections were limited to players from the eight top teams, stating, “There may be one talented kid in every team, but just because his team doesn’t win doesn’t mean he isn’t a good player.”
Reflecting on his role, Bajaj expressed disappointment that he was only given administrative tasks, such as managing player travel and daily reports to the AIFF. He concluded that the current generation of players would not forgive the AIFF for their mistakes, declaring, “They will remember these failures, and they won’t forget.”
It remains to be seen how the AIFF will respond to Bajaj’s statements, which have attracted attention on social media.
